Many methods of extracting oil and other hydrocarbons from subterranean volumes are performed by drilling a well into the volume and driving the hydrocarbons out of the volume using natural or artificial driving mechanisms. In one such method, commonly referred to as steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), two wells are drilled in the formation from which hydrocarbons are to be extracted. In most such processes, one of the wells (i.e., the “upper well”) is positioned higher than the other well (i.e., the “lower well”). Steam can be injected through the upper well, and a mixture of heated crude oil, bitumen (and/or other hydrocarbons), and condensed steam can be extracted via the lower well. The heat from the injected steam reduces the viscosity of the bitumen and heavier oils, which allows them to be transported more easily from the lower well.
SAGD processes and other hydrocarbon extraction processes, such as shale oil extraction, are generally performed at large scales, using specially designed plant equipment that is configured to be fixed in capacity and design once in place.